Silo.



Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. De BOBBITT.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.21.1915.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES D. BOBBITT, OF MADISONVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SILO.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Jan. 30, i917.

Application led March 27, 1915. Serial No. 17,439.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES D. Borrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madisonville, in the county of Hopkins and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of silos, and the like; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what l now believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical eX- pression of my invention from among other forms and arrangements within the spirit and scope thereof.

lt is characteristic of the silo of my invention that the cross bars traversing the vertical opening of the silo and forming parts of the silo ladder, are screwed into the couplings uniting the sections of upright pipe lengths embedded in the vertical monolithic columns that fill the hollow tile blocks forming the silo door posts, and that these cross bars extend through notches in certain blocks and are thereby removed from the mortar or cement joints between the superimposed blocks, and that these cross bars are not supported by the blocks or in said j oints` and that said bars are directly upheld by said pipe lengths and the couplings so that the heavy load thrown on said bars by the workmen passing up and down the ladder, is directly sustained by said pipe lengths, thereby avoiding loosening of and damage to said joints and the blocks.

lt is an object of the invention to provide a silo embodying the hereinbefore mentioned characteristics.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure l, is a perspective view illustrating a portion of a silo constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are detail views.

In the particular example illustrated, l

` the wall.

show a silo or circular or other building wall erected on a concrete bed or hase 1.

The wall is composed of similar superimposed horizontal courses of blocks, the blocks of each course breaking joints with the blocks of the adjacent courses. rhis wall is built to form a vertical opening preferably extending from the base to the top of Each course is composed of a series of hollow blocks 2, and two end blocks 3, 3a, one of which is a half block, and the end blocks are arranged in vertical series to form the casing or opposite vertical j ambs of said vertical opening. The blocks are preferably hollow vitrified clay tiles, and are usually so-ca-lled radius blocks.

The blocks 2, are arranged horizontally and are longitudinally hollow and formed with vertical and horizontal internal webs or partitions 2a, and with parallel side walls and flat parallel top and bottom walls. The top wall 2b, is preferably formed with a top groove or depression 2c, throughout the length of the block and arranged approximately midway between its side walls and. directly over and in the vertical plane of its vertical web or partition, whereby the block is not weakened by the formation of the groove. These blocks are laid with their ends abutting, and the ends of each course are finished by the blocks 3, 3a.

The end blocks are vertically hollow and the front outer corners 3b, thereof are preferably rounded or beveled 0H'. The end blocks are preferably of the same radial and vertical dimensions as the blocks 2, and have closed rear end walls 3.

rlhe top edges of the walls of the end blocks are formed with, notches 3d, to aline with the grooves 2c. The end blocks 3a, have internal vertical partitions 3e, while the half blocks 3, areformed by cutting 0H the rear end portions of blocks 3a, so that the intermediate cross partitions thereof will form the end walls 3e, of the half blocks.

Each door jamb is composed of a vertical row of alined end blocks, nating with the blocks 3a, so that the vertical chambers of said blocks register, the vertical chambers of the rear ends of the blocks 3a, being closed by the blocks 2, of the adjacent courses that overlap the same.

the blocks 3, alterrEhe registering hollow interiors of the end blocks are @lled with a body 5, of concrete, cement or the like, preferably so that a monolithic body 5, extends throughout the vertical length of each jamb.

Strong metal rods, posts or uprights 6, are embedded or inclosed within the bodies 5, and extend throughout the lengths of said jambs, preferably one continuous upright 6, to each jamb. Each upright 6, is composed of pipe sections united by T couplings or unions 7, into the vertical ends or legs of which the pipe sections are secured. These unions are arranged at the joints between blocks or courses, and the unions of one upright are arranged opposite those of the other upright and are joined by horizontal pipe lengths 9, at their ends screwed into the horizontalv ends or legs of the unions, so

that cross lengths-9, bridge the vertical doorway or opening of the silo. The unions are arranged within the end blocks and the cross pipes 9, extend thereto through the notches in the top edges of the outer end walls of the lend blocks.

Reinforcing wires or rods 10,are arranged throughout the lengths of the courses and at their yends are secured to the uprights in the door jambs, preferably by twisti-ng their ends around said u-prights. These wires 10, are arranged in the top grooves ofthe blocks 2, Aand in the notches in the top edges of the end blocks and brace each course against expanding pressure and tie the jambs to the remainder of the wall, while the uprights tie `the end blocks together and the cross pipes tie the jambs together and space the same.

` The lower ends of the uprights 6, are preferably buried a substantial distance in the concrete base and are therebyy anchored.

The cross pipes 9, are preferably spaced a uniform distance apart so that said pipes will, occur, say every three courses, although the invention iis not so limited. For instance, the vertical width of each course of blocks might be approximately ten inches, while the cross pipes wouldbe arranged say thirty inches apart.y VThese crosspipes as well as the uprights are composed of strong comparatively rigidpipe lengths and not only form braces and ties, but also constitute certain of the rungs of a ladder that extends along the vertical opening of the silo. l prefer to space these cross pipes too far apart to form all of the rungs of such a ladder, and provide the intervening rungs by providing the removable door sections 13, with strong rigid horizontally disposed looplike or youtwardly bulged handles l2, at the outer sides thereof. These door sections are arranged one on' the other with their vertical edge portions overlapping the inner sides of iliade@ 'limbs @0i Close the veeel. Opening of the silo and maintain. the ensilage within the silo, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. These door sections preferably are provided with pivoted clamps or latches 15, arranged at their outer sides to engage and wedge against the jambs to loclr the sections in closed position.4 Those skilled in the art understand howthese door sections are applied as the silo is filled and how they are removed as the silo is emptied.

ln constructing the silo, the lower end sections o'f the uprights 6, are firmly anchored in the concrete base and project upwardly therefrom to the height of'say about three block courses. These vblock courses are then laid,`the end blocks being slipped into place over the ends of said upright sections. After eachV course is laid, the reinforcing wire is placed inthe top groove thereof and secured y.at its ends to the upright sections. When the three courses have been laid, the hollow end blocks can be -illed with concrete or cement mortar. Ts or .unions are then screwed onto the upper ends of fixed upright sections, and the cross pipe is screwed thereinto to form the first 'cross brace 9, andthe next upright sections are also screwed into the upper ends of the Ts.

lThe next three courses of blocks are'then laid, and so on until the silo wall is completed.

What I claim is:

1A. A silo having a vertical door opening Y and comprising door posts for said opening each composed of superimposed hollow tile blocks land intervening joints between said blocks and a vertical monolithic column filling the 4blocks, metal uprights in said columns l and extending approximately throughout the lengths of said posts and each "composed of sections having screw threaded ends and screw threaded couplings uniting said sections, and rigid cross bars traversing said opening and forming lparts of a ladder and having screw threaded ends by which said ends are secured to said couplings, certain of said blocks being notched for the passage of said rods into the door postsand to remove the. rods from said joints, said rods and the loa-d carried thereby being directly sustained by said uprights through the medium of said couplings, substantially as described. Y

2. Asilo having a vertical door opening, and comprising horizontal superimposed courses of blocks, the end blocks of the courses being hollow and forming vertical door posts provided with a concrete filling, metal uprights extending throughout the lengths of said posts and composed of yscrew threaded pipe sections of uniform length and threaded Tcouplings uniting saidsections, the couplings of one upright being arranged opposite thecouplingsof the other upright, the blocks containing said couplings having notches in theii1 horizontal edges aiined with the hoiizontai branches of said Couplings, and icigid iadder-rung-forming cross hars tiaveising said opening and eX- tending through said notches and having threaded ends screwed into said horizontal branches of the couplings, whereby the load carried by said cross bars is directly susopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents ea n testimony whereof affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES D. BOBBTT.

Witnesses:

W. E. VVOOTON, MAYME WooToN.

ch, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. C, 

